Of Life
by Bloud
Summary: What defines a man? Honor? Name? Actions? He thought that he had found his place amongst the Dragon Slayers, but the unpredictability of life changed that. Very sudden, Very unexpected... Slayer no more, Dragon Knight reborn.
1. Chapter 1

_**Chapter 1**_

_Dressed in dark robes, she kneels before the block of wood that would soon be drenched in blood; her blood. _

_Standing above her is a graying man holding his sword, waiting for her to place her head on the block. Though his hair is as white as snow and his face slightly covered in wrinkles, he had an air of power about him._

_She met his emotionless, golden eyes with as much defiance as she could muster. When he didn't react she sighed in defeat and gently placed her neck against the block. Had she looked at him one last time, she would have seen the sorrow apparent on his features as he discreetly met the eyes of another man standing in the room._

_This other man wore blue robes adorned with golden stars, and on his head was a matching pointy hat. He had a long with beard that grew wildly down his chest, and on his nose sat a pair of glasses. He did not share the golden-eyed man's powerful aura, but there was something about him, nonetheless. His eyes mirrored the other man's emotions as he nodded sadly._

_Without a sound, the blade rose above their heads and then sliced through the air towards the woman's neck…_

_

* * *

_

"Easy, easy… The ritual takes a lot out of you," said Morgana, the archmage of Farglow. "Just take a deep breath."

_That's what I'm trying to do! I feel as though I don't even have the strength to breathe!_

After somewhat of a struggle with his lungs, the newborn Dragon Slayer rose to his feet taking deep, greedy breaths of air. When he finally collected himself, he gave the brunette sorceress a look that could only be described as accusing.

"I feel as weak as a newborn kitten," he said, his voice somewhat raspy from nearly choking on his own vocal cords.

"I did warn you that would happen," Morgana said with a blank look on her face. "There is a reason why all new Dragon Slayers are called newborns." When he didn't react she added: "You will relearn the skills that you have lost rather quickly, so don't fret."

"This one seems to have some anger issues," said a hauntingly deep voice. The newborn instinctually moved into a defensive stance, then looked around. Beside him stood a semi-transparent being with black hair standing on end and a wide mouth with some missing teeth. Its arms and fingers were too long to be that of a human's, and its skin had a hue similar to a toads. In short, beside the newborn Dragon Slayer stood, or floated, a ghost.

Morgana _had_ told him that she was conversing with a ghost when he saw her talking to herself, and that he too would be able to see spirits after the ritual. But this… thing was not what he'd imagined a ghost would look like.

Deciding to ignore that spirit, he relaxed his stance and turned to a slightly amused Morgana.

"So what now?"

"Now you must find Isobel," said Morgana, amusement still evident in her silver eyes. "She will share a gift with you. A gift almost as prominent as the dragon memories."

"What kind of gift?" asked the newborn suspiciously.

"You will see," Morgana said with a slight smile playing on her lips. "You should also make sure that you meet the veterans; Alberic, Aravir and Gawain. They know more about their trade than anyone you are likely to meet."

He gave her a look curious look before bidding her farewell. He walked away from the archmage, her ghost and the waterfall, making his way back to Farglow.

Farglow was a small, inconsequential village to most people. But for the Dragon Slayers it was a place of tradition and birth. All Dragon Slayers begin their journey in Farglow, and when they leave, they may never enter the village again. This applied to this particular newborn as well, and he couldn't be happier about it; a village as isolated as Farglow would drive him insane in no time. He was not used to the silence, nor did he enjoy it. Silence meant ambush to him, and isolated meant trapped.

This being said, he wasn't as cold as he wanted people to believe. He simply didn't trust others easily. Being an orphan can do that to a person. _Look out for number one_. That was a rule he quickly abandoned when he joined the Dragon Slayers as a disciple. Slayers work as a team; you look out for each other or you die, simple as that. _Used to be the other way around…_

The newborn's thoughts were interrupted by an armor-clad woman standing in the middle of the bridge he was about to cross. Her auburn hair was tied into two braids that went down the sides her neck. She had the silver eyes of a Slayer.

"I see you have met Morgana," she said with a smile. "That means we can proceed. Do me a favor and think of something – anything – but don't speak aloud." Her smile was unnerving.

_She's pretty. If someone could convince me to stay in this pitiful village, it'd be her. _His thoughts betrayed what his face did not. He was quite good at hiding his emotions, maybe a bit too good.

The woman's smile grew, and her cheeks flushed slightly.

"Thank you for the flattery, but this is not the time to flirt," she chastised half-heartedly.

When he didn't react, she furrowed her brow and looked at him for awhile. Then her eyes widened in surprise.

"You already knew of mindreading!" she said accusingly.

"I did study to become a Slayer, you know," said the newborn, the corner of his lips twitching.

"So you knew that I would read your mind?"

He nodded. Though, truth be told, he was in fact completely caught off guard by the probing of his mind. _I'll have to be careful around Rhode from now on…_

"Well, that saves us some time, then," the woman said, collecting herself. "My name is Isobel, by the way, and it is I who bequeath the power of mindreading to the Dragon Slayers."

"Dragon memories and mindreading… What's next? Wings?" the newborn mused then shook his head. "So, am I to receive this gift as well?"

"Of course, that is one of the reasons you are here," Isobel said. "Now stand still, and look into my eyes."

She put her hands on each side of her face and seemed to concentrating. Then, suddenly, a flash blinded the newborn, and his ears were filled with unknown voices. Soon, the voices faded and he met the calm gaze of Isobel.

"There you go. The secrets of all shall be revealed to you," she said, almost whispered. "Be aware, though. Strong minds are difficult to read and come at a cost, so you will have to work on your skill if you want to perfect this art."

With a little effort, the newborn reached out with his mind to try and read Isobel's thoughts.

_~Nice try, but not even Morgana can read my mind. ~_

He didn't know what he was expecting from the woman who actually _gave_ Slayers the gift of mindreading, but the smug smile that she gave him when he realized that he was unable to read her mind made it abundantly clear that she was _way_ out of his league.

"You should go meet with the veterans now, newborn," Isobel said superiorly. "Farewell."

The newborn just nodded and walked past her. He was barely off the bridge when Isobel shouted after him.

"Hey, what was your name?"

He turned around and gave her the same smile she had given him earlier.

"Read my mind."

* * *

With that, he went to meet the veterans.

Grasping his newly acquired sword in his right hand, the newborn felt a slight sting of disappointment. After having met with Alberic, Aravir and Gawain, he was given this blade and sent to test his skill against a few goblins in a training area.

What a disaster! The goblins fell without injuring him, but his reflexes, strength, speed and agility were so diminished compared to before his rebirth as a Slayer. He'd felt as though he was moving through mud every time he swung his sword.

"Ten years for nothing…" he muttered as he was making his way back to the zeppelin where Commander Rhode and the others were waiting for him. He knew that he had gained a lot more than he had lost in the ritual, but that didn't mean he couldn't sulk about it. However, his brooding was brought to an end when he reached the zeppelin.

He was greeted by Sepp, a fellow Slayer and operator of the Zeppelin.

"Oh there you are," he said, a bit agitated. "Hurry onboard! Everyone's waiting!"

"What's the rush?" the newborn said curiously.

"A dragon! A dragon has been spotted at Broken Valley!" Sepp's excitement was obvious. "Hurry! Everyone else is onboard! We have to leave immediately!"

No matter how hard he tried not to let the man's excitement affect him, the newborn felt his heartbeat quicken at the prospect of fighting a dragon. So, without further ado, he boarded the zeppelin.

Inside, he was met by Marius, a senior Slayer, who had removed his armor and changed into a pair of brown pants and a green tunic. The newborn never could make up his mind about him… Marius was friendly enough, and a skilled Slayer, but there was something about him that made the newborn uncomfortable. Marius smiled and patted his back. Hard.

"Congratulations, newborn!" he laughed."You are a Slayer now. Or rather, you will be soon."

The newborn nodded. From what he'd learned about becoming a Dragon Slayer, one must perform a ritual that will help channel the dragon memories. This was apparently very important, because if it was postponed too long, the newborn would become _dragon wild_. And if you survived that, you would spend the rest of your days in a cell, mutilating yourself. At least, that's what he'd read.

"Where's the Commander?" he asked.

Marius pointed towards the front of the zeppelin and the newborn left him to find Commander Rhode.

He found the Commander standing by a window in a room in the front of the zeppelin. She was just standing there, leaning her right shoulder on the window frame and looking out at the moving landscape. The newborn had to repress a gasp when the sun hit her. The sun's rays made her golden hair glow, giving her an almost angelic look. Her face was free of blemishes, other than a fading scar that ran from above her left eye down to her cheek. Whoever had given her the scar had nicked the blue dragon tattoo that colored the skin on her cheek and forehead. _I hope she's not reading my mind…_

"Are you just going to stand there, newborn?" she finally said, breaking his reverie. "Are you excited about facing a dragon?"

His face flushed slightly at having been caught staring.

"Somewhat," he shrugged. "As long as we have time for the ritual, I'm happy. I don't really feel like eating my own tongue."

She graced him with a small smile and turned towards him fully.

"I'm sure we can find something to improvise with."

There was an uncomfortable silence. The Commander seemed to be studying the newborn with her silver eyes. What she was thinking was a mystery. _But does it have to be?_ He did have the ability to read minds…

Mentally reprimanding himself, he quickly dismissed the idea. She was the _Commander_ of the Dragon Slayers! She would know if he prodded her mind. Instead, he cleared his throat.

"Well, I should go and have a rest," he said awkwardly. "We won't arrive in Broken Valley for a few hours anyways…"

He quickly spun around, but he thought he saw a glimpse of an amused grin on the Commander's face. Deciding it was just his imagination, the newborn moved towards the door.

"Newborn," the Commander called.

He looked back to see that she had returned to the position she'd had when he entered, looking out at the rapidly moving landscape.

"You should find a mirror," she said without looking at him. "Silver suits you."

The young Slayer stared at her dumbfounded. The fearless Commander Rhode of the Dragon Slayers had given him a compliment. _Wow…_ Regaining his composure, he quickly left the Commander alone and soon found himself looking for a mirror. Of course, the zeppelin was created for transportation and battle, not beautification.

Eventually, he decided that even a bad reflection was better than none. So, he found a pitcher of water and gazed at his reflection. His breath got caught in his throat when he was not met by his usual brown eyes, but by a pair of almost glowing silver. His short and wild light-brown hair _did_ fit with the silver of his eyes. He would almost go as far as to say he looked _good_. Well, he would if not for the one thing he had shared with the Commander before he got his new eyes; _scars_. Over his left eye there were there three vertical scars, from his eyebrow to his cheekbone. Whereas Commander Rhode's scar complimented her looks, it left the newborn with face that would strike fear into the heart even the most hardened thug. And with the silver eyes he looked especially fierce; like a… _Dragon_.

He decided to get some rest, his previous excitement forgotten and replaced by a subdued sense of… something. It was the same feeling he always got when he thought about his scars or his past; a feeling that would spread across the surface of his being, leaving the rest off him untouched. Numb? Hollow? Whatever it was, he knew – and hoped – that it would be gone when he woke up.


	2. Chapter 2

_**Chapter 2**_

Being awakened had always been something that made the newborn grouchy. Being woken up by hit in the gut by a man wearing a gauntlet didn't make him grouchy; it pissed him off! This man being Marius – with his smug grin – made it even worse. And if it hadn't been for Sepp running into the room looking for his chest plate, blood would have been spilt. The newborn decided then and there that he didn't like Marius, no matter how honorable and good of a Slayer he was.

"Come on, newborn," Marius said, the annoying smile ever present. "We've arrived, and the Commander wants us all outside _now_." With that, he left the newborn to get ready.

A few minutes later, they were all gathered on the outskirts of a small village, a peaceful place nestled in the green that surrounded Lovis' Tower. Said tower once belonged to the Dragon Knight Lovis, the former lord of the valley.

Dragon Knight… one of the betrayers. The ones guilty of slaying the Divine.

The newborn shrugged of the feeling of dread that suddenly filled his senses and focused on what Commander Rhode was saying.

"… start the hunt. Marius, you will lead the preliminary search of the Valley, but warn me before engaging the Dragon."

Marius and the other Slayers nodded and straightened their backs slightly, as if standing salute, while the Commander continued.

"I will notify the local officials about our arrival. Once you have _any_ information, come and find me and we'll head out. Understood?"

"Yes, ma'am," Marius said, actually saluting this time.

"Good. This will be a day to remember, Slayers," Commander Rhodes said, putting her hands on her hips and raising her chin slightly. "Now hop to it!"

Marius and the two other slayers left with haste to find the Dragon, leaving the newborn with Commander Rhode. When he made a move to follow the others, she stopped him.

"Not so fast, my eager newborn," she said, sounding like a mother to a child; something that disturbed the newborn to no end. "Your mental state is still highly volatile, so I'm keeping you on a tighter leash."

He was about to protest when she interrupted him.

"Don't worry. I have an assignment for you as well," she said. "Enter the village and ask the villagers about the Dragon. Some are bound to have seen it."

The newborn nodded, a little grudgingly.

"Come find me when you are done," the Commander said. "I'll most likely be in the barracks; the local captains and whatnot always wants to talk to Slayer. Makes them think they are grander than the peasant-sitters they are."

She chuckled and then left the newborn to his own devices. He took in his surroundings, breathing in the scents of the forest and listening to the wind. This was a habit of his, something he would do whenever he came to a new place, though he was unsure about when he started doing it. Long before joining the Slayers, that's for sure…

_Enough, Commander Rhode will be waiting for a report._

_

* * *

_

While walking up to the local inn, the newborn was stopped by an older man who sitting outside of the inn talking with another older man.

"'Lo there, Slayer! Right good to see ya," he said, somewhat excited. "Name's Ollie and I've got me something to tell ya, Slayer! I've seen a Dragon!"

"Oh, for Pete's sake!" groaned Ollie's friend. It was obvious he had little faith in the other man's credibility, and if it hadn't been for the previous reports of a Dragon in the Valley, the newborn would have shared this disbelief.

"Never mind him, I know what I saw."

"I believe you," the newborn said, shocking Ollie's friend. "Tell me all about it."

"Last night, I was looking out my window when I saw this great big beast in the sky," Ollie said with a lot of exaggerating moves. _The local teller of tall tales, no doubt…_ "Right scared I was, so I hid in the closet."

The newborn reached out to Ollie's mind, trying to find out if he was lying. When was met with a single _Hardy? _he decided that the old man was telling the truth.

"Where was this Dragon when you saw it?" he asked.

"Way back in the Valley!" Ollie said pointing its general direction. "Now go get the bleedin' bugger, Slayer! That's what you're 'ere for, right?"

He thanked Ollie and went inside the inn, though he heard Ollie's friend mutter: "Can't believe the _Slayer_ believed him… Nutter…"

Well inside, the newborn was met by the sound of rowdy laughter and clinking from the floor above him. Soon a pretty woman came down the stairs, looking like she could kill someone.

"Never have I met such disgusting… such perverts!" she fumed. "Fanny is a perfectly good name, no matter the connotation!"

She stormed right past the newborn without giving him a single look. _He_, however, couldn't resist the urge to look at the newly named Fanny's fanny. _I can see why one might like to comment on it._

However, the noises from upstairs and Fanny's anger made it clear that there were troublemakers at the inn. _Might as well check it out…_

And true enough, there was trouble brewing. Four men clad in armor were harassing the barmaid; a cute blonde with the figure of an hourglass. Her displeasure with the four was obvious.

"No… no, I'm just the waitress!" the blonde exclaimed, slightly taken aback by a lewd comment made by one of the men.

"Then why don't you wiggle over here with some more ale!"

The men let out some raw laughter as the waitress left to get them some more ale, seeming anxious to get away from them. Not that she could be blamed for that.

The newborn walked up to the bar where the barmaid was standing, talking to the bartender.

"I don't think I can stand this much longer, Tim," she complained in a hushed tone. "Those Seekers are getting worse by the beer, and they keep propositioning me in the most disgusting way I ever experienced!"

"I know, I know," the bartender said sympathetically. "But dare not tell them to leave… They are trained soldiers, after all."

"I don't care! They are the most boorish lot I've ever-" she interrupted herself, seeing the newborn standing by the bar, looking at them. "Oh! Can we help you?"

"Maybe," the newborn said, and then turned his gaze towards the table that the four inebriated Seekers were occupying. "But first I am going to help you."

He made his way to the Seekers while ignoring the bartender's and barmaid hushed warnings and protests. The Seekers, being quite drunk, barely registered his presence.

"Wha- Huh? Who… Who are you?" one of them eloquently slurred.

"I'm of no importance," the newborn coldly said. "But didn't your mother teach you to treat women with respect?"

Oh, how he hated rowdy drunks. They reminded him of his childhood, and that made him hate them even more. _Still, I'll just hurt them. Had it been the Commander here, they would have been dead._

"Oh, but Elsa of the inn, I don't know where to begin," the drunken Seeker rhymed. "You bring the finest beer. I want to unhinge your brassiere"

The Seekers started laughing at their comrades witty rhymes, while the man himself doubled over, giggling. The newborn was not amused, however.

"You drunks need to leave," he said, maintaining the coldness in his voice. "Now."

"Oh, this here Slayer wants some bruises, guys!"

All four Seekers stood up on wobbly legs and tried to attack the newborn. _Tried_. A swift punch in the face made the rhyming Seeker reel backwards, holding his now broken nose. The others came around the table. One on the newborn's left soon found himself doubled over by a punch in the gut, and then another punch in the face, leaving him unconscious on the floor.

The Seeker with a broken nose drew his sword and was about to try and slice the Slayer, when a commanding and angry voice stopped them all in their tracks.

"Seekers! What in the name of the Divine is going on here?"

The voice belonged to a man in his late forties, dressed in a shiny, heavy armor. His presence demanded respect, and promised pain to those who refused to give it.

"Sir! Well, sir we- HIC!" the broken-nosed, rhyming Seeker stuttered while giving the man a sloppy salute.

"Blind drunk! This is an outrage!" the man, obviously the Seekers superior, almost shouted. He caught eye of the newborn. "You there, Slayer! Tell me what happened here?"

The newborn considered letting the Seekers off easy, then decided that some extra patrol duty, or whatever their punishment, was already letting them off easy.

"They were getting drunk and nasty," he calmly said. "Harassing the waitress and scaring off other customers. When I told them to leave they got violent."

"Only because you-" one of the Seekers began, but was interrupted by his superior.

"Silence!" he barked. "You are a disgrace to our order! Get back to the barracks on the double! I'll send you lot on a punitive mission before the sun sets!"

The four drunken Seekers morosely left for the barracks. The superior Seeker turned to the newborn.

"Thank you, Slayer. I apologize for my men's dishonorable conduct."

The newborn waved it off.

"No problem."

The man gave him a sizing look.

"You seem to be able to handle yourself," he after an extended pause. "Come find me in the barracks if you're interested in some extra work. Just ask for Lieutenant Louis."

With that, he left the inn to take care of a couple of undisciplined Seekers. The newborn went over to the bar, and was met by two pairs off big, surprised eyes. He felt a smile tug at his lips.

"That was amazing Slayer!" the barmaid exclaimed while the bartender nodded in agreement. "You were like a… like a cat, or something stronger!"

"Aye, you had _four_ trained warriors up against the wall," the bartender said, grinning. "Tell you what; I'll give you a discount on everything we serve here, and a promise that you'll always be welcome here at the Black Boar!"

"More than welcome," purred the barmaid seductively.

The newborn was slightly taken aback by the waitress' sudden forwardness, so all he was able to say in return was a slightly rushed "Thanks". He then left the inn in a rush and almost ran down a female Seeker.

"Hey, watch out!"

The newborn narrowly avoided the collision, and was now facing her. She wore studded leather armor and a skullcap of leather, effectively hiding most of her face. Her eyes widened when their eyes met.

"Oh, forgive me, Slayer! I didn't realize-" she sputtered, only to be interrupted by said Slayer.

"No, it was my fault." He let out a heavy sigh. "I wasn't paying attention."

There was an uncomfortable silence.

"Yes, well…" the newborn began. "May as well ask; have you seen a Dragon in the Valley, miss…?"

"Oh! Er, Elisabeth," she said, slightly startled for some reason. "And indeed I have! When I was on patrol with Lieutenant Louis."

"And where did you see it?"

"In the vicinity of the locked temple," Elisabeth said, looking at him intently with her chocolate brown eyes.

The newborn reached out with his mind and tried to read her thoughts, to see if she was telling the truth.

_~Those eyes are beautiful! And the Slayer's not so bad either… Oh, to have those strong hands roaming my- NO! Bad Elisabeth! Bad! ~_

To say that the newborn was surprised would like saying the ocean is damp. In the last five minutes, he's had, not one, but _two_ women showing an interest in him. This was not something he was used to, not one bit. It had never happened while he was growing up or while training with other Dragon Slayer disciples. Sure, he flirted, but that was usually just a game. _This_ was not a game; this was actual _interest_!

"Um, thank you for your help," he almost stuttered. "I have to go now. Goodbye."

Once more, a woman sent the strong and fierce newborn Slayer on the run. On the surface, he was calm and collected as he leisurely strolled towards the village chapel. On the inside, though, it was utter chaos! _Damn it! Calm down!_ His heart was beating so fast that he was amazed it didn't escape his chest. And the fantasies that assaulted him made it even worse. He would've had to be blind not to see the beauty of the two women responsible for his near heart attack.

_Calm down! You should be happy, right? You're Slayer and a man! Act like it!_

After finally regaining some of his composure, he approached an old man with dressed in pale brown robes. His face was covered in wrinkles and he had a brown, slightly graying, mustache. He was standing outside of the church and there was a glimpse in his eyes when the newborn addressed him.

"Greetings," said the newborn. "I was wondering if you'd seen the Dragon."

"Ah, welcome Slayer. I am Romon, priest of the New Order," he said in a calm and collected voice. "And to answer your question; yes, I have seen it."

"Where?" the newborn said a bit harshly. He was a bit on edge right now and not in the mood for long-winded conversations with a priest.

"I went to visit the ruined chapel down the valley last week," Romon said, completely ignoring the younger man's tone. "When I returned at nightfall, I heard the sound of great wings. I looked up… and saw the _Dragon_! A frightful experience, I assure you."

"Thank you," the newborn said and left, not hearing the blessing Romon gave him.

He spent the next half hour talking to several guards and villagers. Some of them asked him for his help with different matters, such as Folo, who wanted him to rescue his pigs from the New Order. Of course, he had no time to help these people, but promised to keep them in mind if ever did find the time. But now he was heading to barracks to report back to Commander Rhode.

He found her in the barracks, talking to Lieutenant Louis. He was obviously enjoying it more than she was. She actually looked relieved when the newborn approached her.

"Thank the Divine you are here!" she said in a hushed, yet relieved tone. "This incessant small talk is making me want to be creative with my blade!" She was talking through her teeth at that last part.

For some reason, the newborn found it amusing to see the fearless Commander Rhode flustered.

"Please tell you have something to report, so we can commence the hunt," Rhode said, almost pleadingly. She was eager to get out of the stuffy barracks and away from the overbearing lieutenant.

"The Dragon has been sighted in vicinity of the abandoned temple," the newborn said, fighting the smile that threatened to appear on face. The Commander rarely displayed her emotions, at least not to their full extent. So seeing the self-proclaimed ice queen almost bouncing on the balls of her feet because of restlessness was something of a treat. _Geh! Rhymes…!_

"Good. That gives us a clear sense of direction. I hope Marius will be back with more news soon," the Commander said. "But any case, before we go I want you to enter the tomb at the back of the chapel."

The newborn quirked an eyebrow.

"The next part of your initiation would have been the confronting of hostile undead in a crypt beneath the academy in Rivertown," she answered the silent question. "To feel the wrath of a nether-spirit for the first time is a harrowing experience."

"One that I assume is needed?" he said flatly.

"The mixture of fear, elation and grim perseverance that hallmarks Dragon Slayers releases large amounts of adrenaline, which helps to stabilize the initial chaos the Dragon memories cause," she continued. "The effect is temporary, however. So the next and last part of the ritual is-"

The newborn hadn't heard most of what the Commander had just said. Blood was rushing in ears and his body felt like lightning was coursing through his veins. He saw flashes that stung his eyes and they didn't go away when he closed them. After what felt like an eternity, the pain faded, leaving him on his knees. Commander Rhode gave him a concerned look.

"Are you all right?" she asked with a strange tone of voice. _Affectionate? Yeah, right!_

"I'm fine, Commander," the newborn groaned as he stood up on wobbly legs.

"It's the Dragon memories, their getting to you," Rhode said and gave him a small, rusty key. "Here's the key to the tomb. Hurry up and face that ghost before the effects get worse."

She was giving him a strange look, and once again, he was tempted to read her mind. But dared not, she would know he did it and that would not end well.

Steeling his mind, his face became fierce, adopting the look that always made his adversaries tremble. The newborn left the barracks, but he wasn't heading for the chapel; if he was to fight the undead, it would not be with piece of metal that Gawain had given him, calling it a sword. He needed something with a bit more edge…


	3. Chapter 3

_**Chapter 3**_

He collapsed against the wall, exhaustion taking its toll on his body. His breathing was fast and heavy, and his heart was beating rapidly. If he could catch his breath, he would've cursed the archmage Morgana for taking away his former self and strength. The old him would've destroyed those skeletons without a sweat, but the new version of himself had just barely made it through the tomb. And to make matters worse, he entered the last room when he was exhausted, only to be attacked by powerful ghost and his skeleton minions.

In his weakened state, the newborn had a tough time dealing with the skeletons. Add a ghost on top of that, and the situation went from bad to nightmare fast. Luckily, the ghost seemed to hold back some of its power and the Slayer managed to defeat it. But he still found himself on the floor of the tomb, gasping for air and barely able to feel his own legs.

The ghost was standing over him, chuckling slightly.

"I congratulate you, Slayer," he said in an unnaturally deep and ominous voice. "The memory ritual has not deprived you of all your former powers." _Wanna bet?_

"I know a newborn when I see one," the ghost continued. "I've brought many of them to Farglow myself."

"Who… Who are you?" the newborn managed to rasp out.

"I am Lord Arben's spirit," the ghost – Lord Arben – said. "Sworn to dwell the night and walk the day without rest, until all Dragon Knights have been burned and purged away."

His words were full of zeal and hate towards the Dragon Knights, something that was encouraged amongst the Dragon Slayers. The newborn himself harbored some resentment towards them, ingrained in him from an early age as a disciple. But he had never actually fought one, so he could not be sure of his feelings on the matter. Unlike Commander Rhode and Marius; they sounded almost as spiteful as Arben when they spoke of Dragon Knights.

"The last Dragon Knight is near," Lord Arben continued. "It is _she_ you are chasing. The blasphemy called _Talana_!" He spat the Dragon Knight's name, as if it left a bad taste in his mouth. "Revenge is at hand, child, and with it the Dragon Slayers' destiny."

Lord Arben's spirit conjured up a two-handed sword in his hands and presented it to the newborn. Having finally caught his breath, he used his two blades as support to get up from the floor.

"Here, take my sword. I give it to you freely," Arben said. "May its icy blade draw fountains of her red-hot blood."

"Thank you, Lord Arben," the newborn said and accepted the blade after placing his own on his back.

"Farewell, Slayer. Remember me and my legacy. Until we may meet again; remember…" Lord Arben's ghost faded away in front of his eyes, leaving him alone in the dark, cold tomb.

The newborn left the tomb and emerged in the chapel. The priest was _still_ having mass! Amazing…

"There you are," Commander Rhode came walking towards him. "Marius informed me he's spotted the Dragon Knight."

"Just in time, then," muttered the newborn. As much as he wanted to fight the Dragon Knight, his body screamed for rest. "I defeated the ghost."

"Good, then we… What is that sword you're holding?" Rhode looked intently at the blade given by Lord Arben.

"Lord Arben's sword," the newborn said matter-of-factly.

"Arben? _Lord_ Arben?" the Commander exclaimed in disbelief. An older woman sitting nearby shushed her, as she was disturbing the sermon. "But, he's a _legend_! But I don't need to tell you that, what with all the reading you do. Still, never would have imagined he'd die here… And he gave you his sword? Amazing…"

"Yes, he… hoped it would be of help in slaying Talana," the newborn said, amused by the Commander's awe.

"And it will, but not in your hands," Rhode said firmly.

The newborn quirked an eyebrow, which made the Commander shake her head with a sigh.

"One day, you'll have to vocally ask your questions, because not everyone can read you like can," she said before going back to her more serious demeanor. "You have proven your worth, and therefore I shall not allow you to join us. I foresee great things for you, and it would be a shame if they were unrealized by ill-timed heroics."

"You say that like I have some kind of hero-complex," muttered the newborn.

"The Dragon memories are too fresh a presence in your psyche; Talana's mind-attacks would see your doom," she said in a tone that left no room for discussion. "Come now. Give me Lord Arben's sword so that his wish can be realized."

The newborn reluctantly gave her the sword. He didn't really care for it; he preferred using two single-handed blades as opposed to a two-handed one. What he was reluctant about was giving in to the Commander's orders. He may feel exhausted, but this was his last chance to meet a Dragon Knight.

Seeing the morose look on his face, Rhode's features soften slightly.

"Don't be saddened by the events of this day," she said softly. "Your time as a hero will come yet." _Yeah, right…_

_

* * *

_

After Rhode left to fight the last Dragon Knight, the newborn made his way to the inn to get some rest. He could rest for free in the barracks, but sleeping amongst a bunch of strangers went against his instincts. _The first year of training was hell…_ He chuckled at the memory of his younger self lying awake in the dormitories for most of his first year as a disciple.

He got an enthusiastic welcome from the bartender and the barmaid. The bartender laughed and patted his shoulder in familiarity, and poured him a pint of ale. The barmaid purred her welcome, effectively making the newborn the target of every male costumer's angry glares.

He really just wanted to get some rest, but couldn't refuse the free ale that was offered to him. Taking slow, deep gulps of the frothy beverage, the newborn soon found himself on his third pint. He also realized that the barmaid – Elsa, if the rhyming Seeker was correct – spent more time looking at him or talking with him, then serving the other customers. And he may have been his imagination, but he thought she swayed her hips deliberately when she knew he was looking.

The newborn shook his head, stood up and addressed Tim, the bartender.

"I would like that room now, if you don't mind," he said, his tongue still obeying him.

"Sure, sure, my friend," Tim said with smile. "Let me just-"

"I can show you," Elsa exclaimed happily. "I was going to take my break anyways."

He shrugged and followed the blonde beauty upstairs. She led him to a room at the end of a corridor and opened the door. "There we go!"

The room was not the biggest, but it was big enough to hold a king-size bed, a basin, and a dresser. The bed looked particularly inviting.

"Thank you, E-" his words got stuck in his throat when he turned around to find that Elsa had locked the door and was now standing with her back to it. She had a seductive look in her hazel eyes that promised many good things.

"You know, Slayer…" she said seductively while slowly walking towards him, swaying her hips widely. "I never did thank you for getting rid of those brutes earlier today. I didn't even give you a reward…"

"Yes, well… There's no need for that," the newborn said, struggling to remain calm. "Couldn't very well let them harass a lovely girl like you, now could I?" _What am I saying? Yeah, she's beautiful, but…_

The rest of his thoughts were evaporated when Elsa put her arms around his neck and leaned in to whisper in his ear.

"Just for that sweet compliment, I'll make your reward extra special…" she whispered huskily, then moved her lips to his.

All resistance fell. The newborn groaned into the kiss as he felt her tongue lick his lips, begging for entrance. Soon their tongues were battling for dominion, and his hands were buried in her silky, golden locks.

They broke the kiss to catch their breaths, but the newborn didn't even pause in his exploration of the barmaid's body. He went down to her neck, breathing in her scent and nibbling on the exposed skin, making her shiver. While he was doing that, Elsa was removing his armor and shirt. Her moans were driving him insane and it took all of his willpower to not tear her dress to shreds.

She suddenly pushed onto the bed, and for a moment he thought she'd changed her mind. But those thoughts disappeared as she slowly began to remove her dress; her eyes never leaving his.

When the last article of clothing hit the floor, all the newborn could do was marvel at her beauty; her milky white skin, her beautiful hourglass figure, her hair that fell down her shoulders and rested upon her beautiful, perky breasts.

She threw herself at him and their previous activities resumed with even more fervor. The newborn's last coherent thought was: _I will never speak ill of small, insignificant villages again._

_

* * *

_

He awoke the next morning, with Elsa sleeping in his arms, both of them tangled in the sheets. Making himself slightly more comfortable, he looked down at the beauty sleeping peacefully with one hand on his bare chest. She looked so very innocent, but their previous actions told a different story.

After successfully untangling himself from the sheets and Elsa without waking her, the newborn got dressed and went downstairs. He was greeted by Tim.

"Had a good night's sleep?" he asked.

"Very," the newborn said with a small smile. "I would like to take a bath, if that would be okay."

"Of course," Tim said. "The baths are at the opposite end of the corridor from your room. I'll be there shortly with some warm water, just need to heat it up first."

"Thank you," said the newborn and left for the baths. After the nights activities he could really use a good soak.

"By the way," he heard Tim say loudly. "Do you know where Elsa went off to? She didn't come back after she showed you to your room."

Not trusting his voice, he just shook his head and quickly moved up the stairs.

* * *

Easing himself into the tub, he sighed contently as the warm water soothed his weary muscles. It was beyond him how he could feel so rested after the events of the previous day. _And night…_

His thoughts went to the Commander and the other Slayers. They must be at the temple by now. Maybe they even made it there before sunset last night and made camp there. Maybe Talana was already dead. Maybe one of _them_ was…

He shook his wildly, trying to clear his thoughts. There were too many maybes. He should try to just relax and maybe help out some of the villagers. Freeing Folo's pigs _could _be fun. Or he could go goblin-hunting. Apparently, between the local tribes and the bandits, the caravans' willingness to visit the village had diminished, leading to the village's economy taking a hit.

"You know, it's not proper to sneak out on a girl like that," said the lilting voice of the blonde barmaid as came into view from behind him. "Could I have been wrong about you, sugar?"

"I don't know, my lady," the newborn said with a mischievous smile, seeing that she was naked once again. "Maybe I deserve some kind of punishment this time…"

Elsa opened her mouth to say something, but let out a delighted and surprised squeal, instead, as he pulled her down into the tub with him.


	4. Chapter 4

_**Chapter 4**_

_The pigs it is!_ The decision to save Folo's pigs was made while talking to the New Order officer guarding them, a fellow named Lomax; a by-the-book kind of man with a good heart and a _huge_ crush on a female Seeker named Elisabeth, the one the newborn had spoken to the day before. _And ran away from like a frightened little boy…_

The reason as to why he decided to rescue the pigs _after_ he had spoken to Lomax was the man's attitude. He was cordial, polite and even laughed when the newborn poked fun at the New Order. He was also _very_ dense and gullible; if such a man didn't deserve being messed with, then who else did?

"You know, I heard that there were three round-bosomed sister lost in the woods," the newborn said casually. "They may need assistance…"

He could barely contain his laughter as the eyes of Lomax and his two comrades lit up.

"Then we have a duty to save them! Off we go, Seekers!" Lomax yelled. _Idiot…_

The three Seekers ran of shouting about justice and duty, while the newborn went up to the biggest pig at the farm. According to Folo, his name was Kevin.

"Er…" he began, unsure. It was rather ridiculous, what Folo had told him to do, but here goes… "Rosebud?"

The pig – Kevin – perked up with an excited squeal and dashed off with other pigs following him. As soon as they were gone, the three Seekers returned looking rather annoyed.

"Slayer! Why did you send us on a wild-goose chase? There are no gorgeous triplets in the woods!" Lomax exclaimed indignantly.

"Too bad," said the newborn with a grin.

"Exactly! I mean… We're here to help, ahem…" Lomax tried to regain his composure when he noticed the open gate. "Hold on! Where… Where are the pigs?"

"They've moved on, Lomax," said the newborn as he placed an apologetic hand on the man's shoulder. "At some point, you just have to let go."

"What are you even talking about?" the flustered Seeker said. "Divine! You Slayers are a strange bunch!"

The Seekers went back to their posts and the newborn left the farm, feeling very satisfied. He made a mental note to visit Lomax again. _Gorgeous triplets in the woods! Hah! _

He approached the walls of the village, nodding to the guards on top of it. He had managed to make some acquaintances in the village, and he was generally liked. The only ones who seemed to have a problem with him were the ill-tempered blacksmith Derk, a pompous Champion of Aleroth named Richard, and the arrogant, self-proclaimed "Greatest hunter in Rivellon"; Brave Sir Robin. They all had their own motives for disliking the newborn; Derk believed that Slayers were a bunch of wannabe warriors who chased fairies; Richard thought that the Champions of Aleroth were the greatest warriors in Rivellon, something that the newborn disagreed with; and Brave Sir Robin was just an ass.

Folo was ecstatic to have his pigs back and rewarded the newborn with some coins and a hot meal. The newborn thought the man would cry when his wife – a lovely woman named Rose – served him some pork chops.

* * *

_What now?_ The newborn had spent the entire morning – and most of the afternoon – hunting goblins, fighting bandits and doing other, menial tasks for the villagers, such as helping Folo. Now, he was getting worried about the other Slayers. How long would they be gone for? Were they alive?

Deep in thought, he passed the chapel. Father Romon saw him tried to get his attention, but the newborn was too lost in his own mind to notice him. Until Romon put his hand on his shoulder, and he spun around, ready to strike.

"Easy, Slayer! Easy!" Romon said as he held up his hands to show he meant no harm. "I was just trying to get your attention, but you seemed to be lost to the world."

"My apologies," the newborn muttered, embarrassed. "I have a lot on my mind right now."

"Ah, well, that's fine, my friend," the priest said sympathetically. "Something I can help with? I _am_ a priest, after all."

The newborn smiled appreciatively at the older man, then shook his head.

"No, that's okay, I'll work it out on my own," he assured him. "But what can I do for you? Now that you finally got my attention."

"Ah yes! I had a small request, actually," Romon said, then clearing his throat. "As you may know, this valley was once the home of a mighty Dragon Lord named Lovis." He waited for the newborn's nod, and continued. "He was slain, for one reason or another, and now his spirit dwells in the old ruined tower."

The prospect of an undead Dragon Knight gave the newborn chills.

"Now, what I would ask of you, being an experienced warrior, is to enter the tower and bring me any unique magical item that you might find," Romon said, once again clearing his throat. "I would go myself, but I dare not venture too close to the ominous tower. Also, there are rumors that suggest that the tower is crawling with undead!"

_He sure knows how to pitch a sale…_

"Yeah, fine… I'll go to the tower," the newborn conceded. "Maybe I'll find out where the Commander and the others went off to."

"Great! Come find me when you've got something!" Romon exclaimed happily.

* * *

After stocking up on supplies, the newborn ventured out into the valley as the sun was at its zenith. There was no danger to speak of around the village, thanks to his efforts. Though, truth be told, he only really helped with the goblins and bandits out of boredom and the need to rediscover the abilities he'd lost while obtaining the Dragon memories. One such power was the manipulation of fire, or in layman's terms; he was now able to conjure fireballs.

The newborn never saw himself as a wizard, even though he knew how to use magic. It wasn't really his thing; he'd always been more of a warrior, excelling in close- to midrange fighting using blades and the like. Standing in back, throwing fireballs at your enemies was all well and good, but the beauty in the deadly dance of swordplay had always fascinated him, ever since his childhood… To think that a Champion of Aleroth would spark his interest in blades as small child…

He shrugged of the memories and focused on the lush landscape that surrounded him. In the distance, he could see the tower of Lovis. He knew that he was disobeying orders by leaving the village, especially considering that he was actively searching for the spirit of a deceased Dragon Knight. _Rhode will be so pissed…_

He followed the river, making his way towards the ominous tower in the distance. As he was walking, he passed some ruins of an old shrine. His curiosity took hold of him, and he decided to take a closer look.

The old shrine's foundation was circular, and there were stone pillars standing on the edges of it, some were broken. As he approached the ruins he heard a sound. Very quickly, he looks around and his catches sight of a woman clad in armor stumbling in between two pillars. Her hair is a as red as blood, and her skin had the color of ash. But her most prominent feature was her eyes; the same silver eyes that the newborn shared with all the other Slayers. But hers were different from a normal Slayer; they were fierce, yet wise; beautiful, yet cold. They reminded the newborn of his own eyes; eyes that were sure to make an enemy's heart stop.

The woman stumbled and fell to her knees; one arm on the ground, the other clutching her side. Their eyes met, and she grimaced.

"Not another of the Order," she complained with obvious pain in her voice. "I've seen enough of such vermin today already…"

She began to cough up blood, leaving a small pool on the ground beneath her. When the coughing receded, she continued.

"If I still had my strength, I'd rip you apart just like I did so many Slayers!" she hissed. "You pathetic soldiers who, like bloody excrement, persistently trail in my wake!"

Another cough-attack interrupted her rage. By now, the newborn had figured out who this woman was; Talana, the Dragon Knight that Rhode and the others were after.

"But Rhode – she fights like a demon possessed," she continued in a hoarse voice after catching her breath once again. "And that sword… how it did sting. Wielding such power that it might extinguish the life of Talana, last of the Dragon Knights."

Even though he'd already figured out the identity of the fiery woman, hearing her name made terror rise within the newborn Dragon Slayer. _This_ was the sworn enemy of the Slayers; the bane of mankind! But looking at her, this terrifying creature of flames and death, he could not help but to feel pity. She was the last of her kind, and had been hunted for, Divine knows how long. And now, she was bleeding to death, knowing that it was the end of the Dragon Knights.

Their eyes met once again, and he could see the anger, rage and sorrow that swirled around in their depths. And loneliness… so much loneliness. It made an old memory from his childhood resurface…

* * *

_The stone hit him, splitting both his lips on the left side of his mouth. Salty tears soon mixed with warm blood, and as the stones kept coming, he huddled up in a fetal position while hugging his knees._

"_It's just a name… It's just a name…" he wept over and over again._

_

* * *

_

He fought back the memory fiercely, letting the old emotions of that day wash away from him.

They were both still staring deep into the other one's eyes, and she must have seen some kind of change in him, because her anger changed into that of disbelief.

"Could it be? A Slayer with a _heart_?" she almost shouted, her voice dripping of disbelief and sarcasm. "One who sees beyond the veil they held before those silver eyes? Surely not"

Talana looked down at the ground, and body began to shiver, as if she was cold. When she continued, her voice was filled with spite.

"How I lament the idiocy of mankind," she hissed. "They chase the Great Ancient Ones, paying no heed to the true evil that prepares to rear its head again."

She suddenly looked up again, her eyes narrowed, focused on the newborn's own.

"Let me show you the lurking bane that will one day claim dominion of this world anew. Let me show you!"

Blood suddenly began to rush in his ears, and his knees buckled underneath his weight. As he fell towards the ground, the world was engulfed by a white light. The newborn never felt the impact of the fall.

* * *

The sound of rushing wind and far off shrieking made the newborn open his eyes, only to close them again in disbelief. When he finally got courage to open his eyes again, he still could not believe it; he was flying, high above the treetops in an unknown location. But that was a minor shock compared to what he realized next; his wings. On each side of his body there were wings _–_ large leather_-_like _wings – _attached to his arms. And they were flapping continuously, keeping him airborne.

He turned his head and realized that he was able to bend it unnaturally far in any direction. Looking down on his body, he found that he no longer had the body of a human, more the body of a lizard. His skin had been replaced by a thick, grayish hide. And instead of toes on his feet, there were four, razor-sharp claws.

Then it dawned on him. He was a Dragon. A _Dragon_.

Panic took its hold on him, and he tried to move, but nothing happened. He wasn't in control, but who was? The answer became obvious when a familiar, smug voice echoed in his head.

"_How does it feel, Slayer?"_ said the voice of Talana. "_What's it like to suddenly find yourself in the body of the being you hate above all?"_

_Damn her!_ He didn't know what was going on, but panic was replaced by anger as he involuntarily moved towards a huge, demonic-looking statue standing tall in a mountain pass in front of him.

"_You had better get used to it,"_ continued the disembodied voice in a serious and more formal tone. _"I bestow upon you the very essence of my existence."_

Suddenly a shriek cut through the air, and a ball of fire flew right pass the newborn's head – well, it was _almost_ his head. The creature that attacked him was like nothing he'd ever seen before. It looked like Dragon for most part, put its hide was sickly green, and its mouth was more like an opening at the end of the neck filled with sharp teeth.

With a bone-chilling shriek, the creature attacked again, sending another fireball the newborn's way. He dodged it and opened his mouth and shot a fireball of his own at the flying abomination, hitting it dead-center.

The creature yelped and fell towards the earth. As he watched it fall, the newborn felt as though he was more in control now, than before. But there was something that pulled him, something that told him to continue deeper into the mountain pass.

"_Slayer no longer, Dragon Knight reborn."_

Talana's voice echoed through his mind, her words giving him chills. _Dragon Knight._ It was a lot to take in, if it was true. All of it could just be a trick created by Talana. Though, something told him that it was unlikely.

As he made his way deeper into the pass, the newborn flew through what looked like a giant ribcage lodged between in the rock, and on the walls of the pass there were roots of some sort; roots that looked more like lava than anything else, and gave of a sinister aura.

He soon heard, and saw, more of those disgusting creatures from before. They weren't very clever, strong or fast, as he barely had to make any effort to kill them. It was like they were attracted to fire… What did pose a slight problem were the two ballista towers up ahead that began to shoot bolts at him, bolts as tall as a man.

"_Do you see those horrid constructs?"_ Talana said with disgust. "_They are the perverted machinations of Damian, Rivellon's true nemesis._"

The newborn managed to dodge a bolt that was aimed at his head, and flew towards the ballista tower and opened his mouth, but instead of a fireball there was a steady stream of fire coming out of his throat. The ballista caught fire and broke down.

Another bolt from the second tower flew through the air. The newborn sped towards it, opened his mouth and spat a fireball at it, which exploded on impact, leaving the tower in a wreck.

With all enemies taken care of, the newborn approached the other side of the pass. The sight before him made his throat close up.

Before were hundreds of flying isles made out of black rock. On each isle there were ballista towers and other constructs, all obviously made for war and destruction. The air was thick with black smoke that made his eyes water.

"_With my powers I leave you my crusade,"_ Talana said with something similar to pride. _"Damian's destruction, a Dragon's legacy."_

Suddenly, all of the towers began to fire at the newborn. A swarm of bolts and fire rained down on him, and as he began to dodge them he felt a strong presence behind him. He looked around and came face to face with another Dragon, much larger than him and wearing some kind of armor. As it clawed and bit at him, more of those flying creatures from before joined in as well, tearing and slashing his hide and wings to shreds. The pain was unbearable, and he soon fell towards one of the isles.

The impact was almost as painful as the other Dragon's bite. The newborn tried to get up, but could not find the strength to do so. He tiredly opened his eyes at the sound of heavy footsteps. A tall, bald man with silver eyes approached him. He wore a heavy armor with spikes, and as he got closer, the newborn could see his own reflection in the armor.

The man stood over him; his face covered in shadows. He raised his foot and brought it down hard on the newborn's head.

The world went black…


	5. Chapter 5

_**Chapter 5**_

When a kick to the stomach woke the newborn from his sleep, his first instinct was to growl at Marius for once again ruining his morning. But when he opened his mouth to speak, all that came out was a pained groan. He then realized that he was lying on his back on the cold, stone floor of the ruins, and the person who awoke him from his slumber was not Marius, but the silver-eyed man from the dream.

"Time to wake up, my sleeping beauty," the man said with a deceptively soft voice.

He kicked the already weak and pained newborn in the side of the head, making him see stars. It wasn't until a moment later, when the pain had subsided somewhat, that the newborn realized that they were actual stars. Apparently, it was nighttime. But that was not his immediate concern… No, he was more worried about the bald, terrifying man who was now leaning over him while giving him a look of mild interest and amusement.

"Vivid dreams you have. I quite enjoyed that little scene. A Dragon Slayer turned Dragon _Knight_," he said while stroking his cheek, then stood upright and gave a short laugh. "Such delicious irony; rich and thick, like clotted blood."

The newborn's head was swimming. He tried to speak, to move, to do anything! But his entire body felt drained, and he was having difficulties even listening to the obviously powerful man.

Said man stopped smiling and looked down at the newborn, and then proceeded to bring down his heavy boot on his hand. Pain shot through the newborn's body, and even though he wanted to shout out in pain and anger, all he could muster was muffled groan.

The man knelt down and looked him in the face, obviously taking pleasure in seeing him squirm.

"But I warn you, little hatchling: should you attempt to make Talana's dream come true, our next encounter won't end with so little blood," he said, his voice soft and cruel as he grasped the newborn's injured hand, eliciting another pained groan, "clotted or otherwise."

As he began to lose consciousness again, the newborn barely heard the man's last words.

"Remember that."

* * *

As the sun rose in the valley, the newborn opened his eyes. With a groan, he stretched and got up and looked around; the man was gone. He quickly dismissed the stray thought that it may have all been a dream when he saw the corpse of a Dragon lying in the middle of the ruin. _Talana…_ The creature's – _her _– mouth was open and eyes were dead, and the newborn found himself feeling slightly saddened by her death, though he didn't know why.

"Halt!"

The crisp, commanding voice that interrupted his thoughts belonged to an old man dressed in a most peculiar way. A blue with golden stars seemed to be the theme of his attire, as it was the color of his robe and his _pointy_ hat. On his nose sat a pair of glasses and behind them were a pair of dark grey eyes that seemed sparkle. He had white hair, as well as a long, white beard.

"Please stand still a while and let me have look at you," the old man said and adjusted his glasses while giving the newborn a onceover. "Yes… yes… yes… good! Everything still seems to be where it should."

He gave the slightly uncomfortable former Slayer a warm smile. "Most are not so lucky after a tête-à-tête with the Damned One himself!"

The newborn, having had enough of strange encounters for today, drew one of his swords and held its sharp point at the old man's throat, while giving him a cold glare. "Who are you, and what do you want with me?" he demanded in a chilling tone.

The old man held up his hands in surrender and gave the newborn an apologetic smile. "I'm sorry, my friend. In my excitement, I forgot my manners," he said, then cleared his throat. "I am Zandalor: wizard, scholar and this world's most famed éminence grise. That is until I fell from grace for protecting Dragons from Slayer blades after the Great War." _Great, a walking dictionary of words I don't know…_ He then remembered reading about a man named Zandalor. He was supposedly the Divine's closest friend and advisor. But after the Divine was murdered by a Dragon Knight, Zandalor protected a Knight from Slayers, thus earning him the status of betrayer amongst the Dragon Slayers. His name was spoken with distaste and hate amongst them.

"And what, pray tell, does the great Zandalor want with me?" the newborn asked in his most sophisticated tone, trying hard not to let the sarcasm overflow. He removed his blade from the wizard's throat and placed it on his back once again.

"Like Damian, I saw your dream," Zandalor said seriously as he lowered his hands. "And so I have come to aid you. For Talana's words could not ring more true: Damian must be defeated."

The newborn felt a bit queasy. The man from earlier, the same man from the dream had been Damian, the Damned One. And he was now an enemy of the newborn, an enemy with powers far beyond his own. He then realized that Zandalor was still speaking.

"… with these prophetic words that I must leave you," Zandalor said, as if he had just told the newborn about his destiny. "But not before guiding you in the right direction. Seek the help of Lord Lovis in his citadel tower, here in the valley. His ghost will shed light on the mystery that has befallen you."

_Mystery that has…?_ He then remembered Talana's words: _Slayer no longer, Dragon Knight reborn._"Am I really a Dragon Knight now?" the newborn asked, fearing the answer.

"You are, yes," Zandalor said, his voice barely containing his excitement. "But that does not mean that you can take on the form of a Dragon yet. It is a complicated matter, which Lovis will tell you more about when asked." With that, he turned around to leave. But the newborn had to know one more thing, for his own sake.

"Before you go," he said loudly, his voice echoing through the valley. "Why would you help those who killed the Divine?"

The wizard turned his head to look at him before answering. "There is truth and there is the perception of it," he said enigmatically. "You will find out later which of the two has been the helmsman of the course you steer." He smiled slightly, then turned away once again and disappeared in a blinding flash.

The newborn now found himself alone in ruins with Talana's body and a whole lot to think about.

"_Now you know your enemy and the shadow-strewn path that awaits you,"_ Talana's voice echoed in his mind. "_But I'll be there to guide you, should you stray too far and wide._"

"Am I doomed to hear voices the rest of my life?" the newborn said with a sigh. "At least I'm not insane." Talana chuckled before continuing.

"_Zandalor was right: you must find Lord Lovis,_"the voice said. "_Tell him it was I who sent you and he will most certainly help you._"

The newborn looked down at his left hand, then brought it up to his face and made a fist, excepting it to hurt from Damian's stomp. He quirked an eyebrow when he felt no pain at all. He quickly removed his glove and bracer and stared at his wrist; not a scratch! _I was sure he broke it!_ As he began to put the bracer and glove back on, the newborn became aware of how _well_ he felt; almost like he had the energy to run ten laps around the valley without taking a break.

On impulse, he started running as fast as he could. A strange sensation spread in his legs; it didn't feel like he was running, it was too easy, even easier than walking. It was like he was flying through the forest, barely touching the ground with his feet.

He ran past the former goblin camps, the bridge and Jackson's farm, and he soon saw the walls of the village. As he got closer to the fortifications, something inside the newborn told him to jump; to jump over the wall which was twice his height, and land on the other side. _This is insane!_

He pushed of the ground and jumped effortlessly over the stone wall, making a flip and landed on his feet with bended knees in the grass of the other side. Blood was rushing in his ears and the adrenaline made him shiver. He looked around in bewilderment, meeting the awed and astounded gazes of the several Seekers standing guard on the wall and inside the village.

"Now _that_ is a properly trained warrior!" shouted the drill instructor, waking the newborn out of his reverie. Around him were several Seekers wielding blades and axes, as well as several damaged, wooden dummies. The newborn then realized that he had landed in the middle of the training grounds, and the drill instructor was closing in on him.

"Come on, Slayer! Show these maggots what a real warrior is made of!" the drill instructor exclaimed enthusiastically as he walked towards the newborn.

The newborn, feeling very confused and overwhelmed, stuttered an apology and hurried away from the wide-eyed Seekers. As he walked away, he felt panic grip his heart and the world began to spin. His throat was closing up and he was now almost gasping for air. That's when someone touched his shoulder. He quickly turned around and was met by a pair of worried, chocolate brown eyes.

"Are you all right?" Elisabeth asked with concern. The newborn swallowed hard and managed to get his panic under control, slowly rebuilding his defenses. When he answered Elisabeth's question, the cold walls of indifference were back and his face revealed no emotions.

"I am fine, thank you," the newborn said platonically. She gave him an unconvinced look, and he opened his mouth to give her an excuse for his behavior, but found himself unable to do so. What could he say? The truth was out of the question, and what else was there? Indigestion? The newborn mentally frowned at that and settled for simply giving Elisabeth a curt nod and then hurried away from her. He needed a quiet place to think…

* * *

"_I have to say, you did pick a nice spot,"_ Talana said, amused. _"Feeling a bit melancholic?"_ Her chuckles echoed through the newborn's mind. He growled slightly, trying hard to ignore the former Dragon Knight's snide remarks.

He was currently watching the sunset from his spot on the top of the tower of the barracks, his back to the village. He sat with his feet dangling over the edge of the tower, perfectly comfortable being just a gust of wind away from a fall to certain death. His eyes once again fell on the huge tower in the middle of the valley; his next destination. _If I can muster the courage…_ Meeting with Lovis would put him on the path of becoming a full-fledged Dragon Knight; a path that he was more than unsure of walking down. It would mean that he accepted his new life, replacing – if not _erasing_ – his old one.

The newborn could still feel his new strength and power coursing through his body, making him slightly uncomfortable. He barely felt the weight of the twin swords on his back, or even the weight of his own shoulders. And his eyesight would take some getting used to; everything was so clear! It was like he'd been blind and now could see.

Like his eyes, all of his senses had become very acute. Smell, sight, taste, hearing, touch; they were all enhanced to an almost scary level. He could hear the footsteps of Lieutenant Louis from three floors down, and smell the slight body odor from the Seekers guarding the walls. He could count the pebbles on the ground down by the gate, and feel even the slightest of changes in the wind. He could…

The newborn's thought were interrupted by the sound of footsteps from beneath the trapdoor. He twisted his body to look behind him and watched as it opened. Climbing through was Elisabeth, closing the trapdoor behind her. She looked around and was taken aback by the presence and gaze of the newborn.

"Oh! I'm sorry! I- I didn't mean to disturb you!" she stammered, obviously flustered. "But I have guard duty up here so… uhm…" She looked down at the ground and swallowed loudly.

The newborn just shrugged and turned his gaze towards the setting sun again. "Don't mind me," he simply said, soon lost in his thoughts once again. It didn't last long, though, as he soon heard the unsure voice of the female Seeker behind him.

"Excuse me," Elisabeth said cautiously as she approached. "I don't mean to pry, but are you alright now? You looked a bit… pale before." Her voice became quieter at the end of the sentence, as if she was afraid of how he'd react to her talking to him.

The newborn turned around and let his eyes meet hers. She seemed anxious, and she broke eye contact rather quickly. If not for his newly enhanced vision, he would have missed the shade of red that spread across her cheeks as she began to chew on her bottom lip, trying to make the blush subside. The newborn took this time to take in her appearance.

Elisabeth wore the same outfit that she wore when they had first met, but now the newborn noticed a couple of details that had previously escaped him. Such as how the skullcap accentuated her beautiful, brown eyes, and how her armor clung to her body, effectively showing off her curves. He also noticed how incredibly enticing she looked with flushed cheeks and chewing on her full bottom lip.

_What was that! _He quickly looked away from Elisabeth. _This is _not_ the time to think about such things!_ As if feeling his distress, the brown eyed Seeker took a step towards the newborn with a concerned look on her face. She opened her mouth to say something, but the newborn interrupted her.

"I'm fine, I'm fine," he said hurriedly, still not looking at her. "I'm just… a bit tired. It's been a long day." He saw her nod sympathetically in the corner of his eye. There was an awkward moment of silence that the newborn ended by jumping down from his seat and walking towards the trapdoor. "Anyway, I should leave you to your guard duty." He was just about to open it when he, once again, felt a hand on his shoulder. He looked up at Elisabeth.

"Ehm… you don't have to leave, er, I mean…" she said, getting flustered again. She looked away and began to almost murmur. "It's not like guard duty up here requires much focus." Even in the glow of the setting sun was her blush visible. When he didn't say anything, she looked back at him, only to find that he was staring at her. Her blush increased. "A- And it gets really boring, so… Some company would be appreciated."

The newborn stared at her for awhile, trying to figure out the best course of action. On one hand, he didn't really have anywhere to go right now and it would be a nice distraction from the previous events of the day. On the other hand, it could end up being a bit too much of a distraction, considering his previous train of thought about her attire.

By now, he realized that he'd been staring a bit too long and blurted out: "Sure, I'll stay for awhile!" and then cursed himself for sounding like an overly excited little boy. Elisabeth took no notice of this, however, and her face lit up with a beautiful smile.

"Great!" she exclaimed, then got embarrassed by her outburst and tried to school her features. "I mean… I appreciate it. Thanks." She was quiet for a second, then cleared her throat and went over to one of the wooden benches on the roof and sat down. The newborn followed and sat down on the bench next to it. Another awkward silence filled the air.

"So… ehm… Are you worried about the others? The other Slayers, I mean," Elisabeth said, trying to break awkward moment. "They _are_ fighting a _Dragon_, after all! But- er, not that they are weak or anything, I just… well, I would be worried about you. If you went after a _Dragon_, I mean!"

The newborn couldn't help but smile at the female Seeker's ramblings. His first impression of her had been that she was a no-nonsense kind of woman, a bit wide eyed, but firm in her beliefs and ethics. Not the flustered girl that sat in front of him. _How first impressions could be wrong…_

"_Maybe they're not,"_ said Talana, amused. _"Maybe it's just because of you…"_

He frowned at Talana's words, thinking that she was just teasing him. Then again, he was usually a good judge of character... He noticed that Elisabeth was looking inquisitively at him and shook out of his stupor.

"Ah, I'm, er, not really that worried about them," he said smiling sheepishly. "They are well trained and have a lot of experience of these kinds of situations. Especially Commander Rhode." Elisabeth's eyes lit up in recognition.

"That's the leader right? A blonde woman with a tattoo and a scar on her face?" she inquired. The newborn nodded with a smile. "I saw her when you and the other Slayers entered the village. Even if you dressed her in rags, she would look dangerous and beautiful…" She was in complete awe of the Commander.

"She is the epitome of how a Slayer should be," the newborn said while smiling. "Strong, cunning, brave and unyielding; the perfect Dragon Slayer." He had a faraway look in his eyes when he spoke of Rhode, something that did not go unnoticed by Elisabeth.

"Are… are you a couple?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper. Her question took the newborn by surprise. He stared at her, thoughts of the Commander filling his head; her faith in him, her indomitable spirit… and how beautiful she had looked on the zeppelin. He quickly looked away from Elisabeth, his cheeks feeling warm.

"Eh, no. We… we are not a couple," he said, then cleared his throat and looked back at her. "What about you? Do you have a… significant other?"

"Not that I know of… Ah! I mean, no, I am not in a relationship," Elisabeth chewed on her bottom lip again. "Not a lot of interesting prospects amongst the Seekers."

"Well, Lomax seems interested," the newborn suggested with a slightly teasing smile. He almost burst out laughing when Elisabeth's eyes widened in horror.

"Lomax? I'd rather shack up with that Lieutenant Louis!" she huffed. "I'd end up choking Lomax with his self-righteousness… " She kept muttering while crossing her arms. She then seemed to realize something and gave the newborn a strange look. "How do you know he's interested in me? He didn't tell you, did he? I mean, why would he?" _Hm, perceptive…_

"I can read people's minds," the newborn said in a tone that suggested that he was joking, even though he wasn't. Elisabeth gave him a disbelieving look, raising one of her eyebrows.

"Fine, then… Read my mind," she said with a smirk. "If you get it wrong, you'll have to go get me something to drink and eat."

The atmosphere had gone from being awkward to being relaxed and comfortable. The newborn felt his shoulders relax and he rested his gaze on Elisabeth's soft features. "And if I get it right?" he asked, mirroring the Seeker's grin.

"Whatever you want," she said with a shrug, sure of her win. She got up from her seat and sat down next to the newborn, facing him. Her scent made its way to his nose; a mix between leather, sweat and… wet grass? A strange, yet enticing aroma. "Ready?"

The newborn turned so that they were face to face, then reached out with his mind to hers meeting little resistance.

_~Oh, Divine help me, my heart is racing! He's _so_ close!~_

Her face did not betray her thoughts, but the newborn had to struggle not to let his own betray him.

_~Those eyes… I can't believe I actually dreamt about them last night! ~_

It was becoming increasingly hard for the newborn to keep his face in check.

_~I can almost touch him. He looks so calm… He only he would move closer! Just a little!~_

His breathing was becoming labored and he felt his heart begin to pound in his chest.

_~Kiss me…~_

His palms were getting sweaty, and his jaw clenched.

_~Kiss me.~_

He felt like he was burning up and his hands began to shake.

_~Kiss me!~_

He couldn't take it! Her intoxicating scent was filling his head, and her eyes betrayed her lust.

_~KISS ME!~_

The newborn flew forward and crushed his lips against Elisabeth's in a hungry, passionate kiss. It only took her a moment to get over her shock and kiss him back with equal fervor. She moaned into his mouth as he slid his tongue into hers. They pressed their bodies together, wanting to be as close to each other as possible, to _feel_ each other as much as possible.

After what felt like forever and not enough, the newborn broke the kiss and Elisabeth whimpered in protest. He held her face with both hands and rested his forehead against hers. Both were out of breath as he spoke.

"I win," he whispered before crashing down on her lips once again, silencing her surprised gasp. As he began to trail kisses down her neck, she moved her hand up to her skullcap to remove it. But he stopped her by grabbing her hand. She gave him a questioning glance. "Leave it on…"

The raw lust in his eyes and voice made her shiver. She let her hand fall and threw her head back with a loud moan of pleasure as the newborn went back to kissing her neck.

"Best loss ever…" she moaned.


	6. Chapter 6

_**Chapter 6**_

When the newborn awoke the following morning, he was alone. And naked. Elisabeth was nowhere to be found, though her scent still lingered on the newborn, caught only by his heightened sense of smell. _Did she just leave?_ He wasn't naïve enough to expect waking up with her in his arms, lying on the cold stone, but… something. Elisabeth didn't seem the type to just sleep with someone and then sneak away while they were asleep. _Maybe she regretted last night…_

As he got up and gathered his things, the newborn felt a sting of disappointment. _She could at least have left a note or waken me up!_

_~Indeed. Just imagine what would've happened if someone came up here and saw you lying there, completely naked with your morning glory …~_ Talana's disembodied voice was filled with amusement. _~Oh! Or if Lieutenant Louis found you! You know what they say about military officers-~_

"Please, shut up…" muttered the newborn while he got dressed.

_~They like their men at "attention"!~_

The newborn made a face and groaned in disgust at Talana's joke. At least she managed to stop him from dwelling on the disappearance of Elisabeth… He slowly rubbed the sleep from his eyes and looked up at the sky. The sun was high, indicating that it was around noon. _Wow, I really slept in. Not surprising, considering…_ Images of the previous night filled his mind. Images of Elisabeth; naked, moaning, writhing…

With a sigh, he shook his head and let go of the memories. It was late in the day, and he had decided late last night while holding Elisabeth in his arms that it was time to get some answers, and the answers lay with Lovis in the tower. As much as he dreaded entering the tower and making this whole ordeal even more real, he couldn't just sit around and wait for Rhode and the others to return. The newborn wasn't even sure if he dared to face them ever again. _They would all turn on me!_ Despair filled the newborn and he clenched his jaw shut so hard that it hurt. _Not again… Never again…_

The newborn shrugged away the memories that threatened to resurface and turned towards valley. He took a step back and started running towards the edge of the barrack's tower, and then he leapt. In the back of his mind he thought: _This is insane!_ But he pushed said thought aside and prepared himself for the landing, several stories beneath him. With a loud _thud,_ he landed with bended knees and used his right hand to stable himself. _Time to find Lovis._

* * *

"So what you're saying is that there is _no_ way to reverse it?" the newborn said with disappointment as he walked down the road towards the ruins where he had first met Talana. "No way at all?"

In his head, Talana sighed for the twentieth time in about thirty minutes.

_~No, there is no way to "un-become" a Dragon Knight. And even if there was; why would I tell you, and why would you want to? You seem to enjoy the many abilities gained from my gift.~_

"I didn't ask for it!" exclaimed the newborn angrily. "These abilities were forced on me, and because of this, I have to save Rivellon from Damian; the Damned One! I can't ever return to the Slayers, thanks to you!"

_~And knowing about Damian and the threat he poses to Rivellon, you would still rather just ignore it and go on like you did before?~ _Talana's voice was calm and collected, and the newborn knew that she had him there. It was difficult for him to accept his new role and responsibilities, but he would not abandon them.

_~I will not lie; the road before you is dark, dangerous and lonely. You will be faced with fear and hate directed towards you, and sometimes you will feel as though you can't go on. But complaining about it and longing for your previous life won't help or change anything.~_

"So what should I do?" the newborn almost whispered. He had just passed the ruins and was now walking down the road east of Lovis' tower.

_~Accept it and become strong.~_

The newborn waited for her to continue, but she never did. He was just about to say something when he suddenly heard a scream, and a body came flying past him. It landed a few feet away, broken limps twisted in unnatural angles. The newborn ran towards the body and inspected it. The body belonged to a man, a Seeker. Half his face was unrecognizable due to the fact that it had been bashed in, leaving only a bloody mess of bone chips and a squashed eye. The newborn was however able to identify him as one of the Seekers he had fought at the Black Boar.

The sounds of battle accompanied by a loud, guttural roar shifted the newborn's attention towards the direction the dead Seeker had come flying from. Without a moment's hesitation, he drew his swords and dashed towards the noise.

It wasn't long before he arrived at the battle. Three Seekers were fighting a huge creature, with greenish skin that almost looked like the skin of a frog. It was at least twice as tall and three times as wide as a man, and it was wielding a club the size of a small tree. Its head was round and small relative to its body, and was adorned with pointy ears and a pair of stubby horns. _A troll!_

The Seekers were fighting a losing battle, and before the newborn was able to help them, the troll batted them away like flies. As their bodies flew in different directions, the newborn raced towards the troll, who had its back to him, hoping to do some damage before it noticed him. But luck just wasn't on his side these days…

Just as he was about to jump up on the troll's back, it turned around swinging its club at him. The newborn dropped to the ground and skidded towards the troll, avoiding the club, then got up and managed to cut its right leg with one of his swords. He was filled by that all too familiar feeling…

The troll roared in pain and rage as it started to turn around, only to see the newborn coming at it at full speed. It raised its club high in the air, but before it could turn the newborn into paste, the newborn pumped his legs and jumped up in front of it and swung both swords in front of him in a diagonal motion. His swords cut through the troll's nose and eyes, blinding it. He flipped in midair and landed behind the severely harmed creature.

The roars turned to wails of pain, and the troll covered its face with one hand and swung its club at random, hoping to defend itself. But the newborn was having none of that. His heart was pounding and that same, old familiar yet disturbing feeling filled him. There wasn't a doubt in his mind that he would destroy his foe, live or die. There wasn't a single thought of victory or loss; all that mattered was the fight. His head was filled with violence, yet he felt calm, as if fighting helped to center him. Power coursed through his veins and he suddenly dropped his swords and ran towards the troll, dodging its blind attacks. He jumped and landed with one foot on its bulging stomach and pushed off it again, aiming for the head.

The troll, feeling the newborn touching its stomach, removed the hand clutching its face and tried to catch the assailant. However, the only thing it caught was air, as the newborn was already in its face. He grabbed both sides of the troll's head, and suddenly flames erupted from his palms. The troll erupted in a surprisingly shrill wail and started to stumble backwards while violently trying to shake the newborn away from its head. But the newborn wasn't letting up. He clung to the ugly creature's head like a leech. Soon the wailing and shaking subsided, and the troll fell to the ground with a _thump_!

The newborn let go of the troll just as it hit the ground and rolled off the ground and managed to stand up in a single, flowing motion. He stood there staring at the still, bulging form of the troll. Smoke flowed from the corpse filling the air with the stench of burnt meat.

He swallowed, picked up his swords, then turned his back on the scene and headed towards the tower, leaving the bodies of the Seekers and the troll in the middle of the road without a word. He climbed the nearby hill, hoping to reach the stone bridge that he'd seen earlier that lead to the tower. But he didn't come far before he was attacked by several animated skeletons.

_What a nuisance…_ Had the skeletons remembered their former humanity, they would've fled at the sight of the newborn's gaze. Many had before.

* * *

While climbing the tower – leaving piles of smoldering bones in his wake – the newborn began to calm down, and felt the heat that had been scorching his soul die out. His calm and ruthless demeanor slowly shifted and he felt more like himself again, only a bit more empty inside. Regret wasn't what he would call what he felt, but more along the lines of shame. No matter how many times it happened; in training or in battle, he always felt the same, scathing feeling grow in the pit of his stomach afterwards. His fellow disciples, childhood friends, superiors; everyone who had witnessed his transformation had been taken aback, and looked at him with newfound fear, loathing, confusion, pity or all of the above. _And everything changes…_ The newborn violently pushed the feeling aside, not wanting to dwell on things he had long since accepted, and pumped his legs; getting ready for another high jump.

As he landed on yet another out-of-reach-for-normal-people-plateau, he suddenly realized how comfortable he felt jumping high up in the air and standing close to edges or just with heights in general. Not that he'd ever had a problem with it before, but now…

The newborn turned and walked up to the edge of the plateau and looked out at the landscape of the Broken Valley. The cool breeze wafted his face and he took a deep, fulfilling breath as he took in the view. He was filled with a sense of euphoria, and all he wanted to do was to take a step back and then run towards the edge and leap off the tower and—

_~I wouldn't if I were you.~_

Talana's amused voice broke the newborn out of his reverie. He looked around and realized that he had in fact prepared himself for a running start off the tower. Startled, he backed away from the edge and swallowed hard.

"What is happening to me?" he let out as a disbelieving croak.

_~You are experiencing your second nature and instincts. It is natural for Dragon Knights – especially new ones – to feel the need for the open sky; to feel the wind beneath one's wings and such… Usually this causes little to no problems at all. If you have wings, that is.~_

The newborn stared at his hands, then his feet and the ground, then the ladder which lead to the floor above; anything but the view.

"How can it not be problematic if new Knights don't have wings?" he muttered as he resumed his climb up the tower.

_~Like I said; no problem for new _Knights_. You're not considered one until you gain your wings, and that's when you start to experience these new urges. You, however, are maturing at a much more accelerated rate than anyone I've ever seen.~_

The newborn lost focus in the middle of a high jump and landed short of the ledge he was aiming for. He managed to grab the stony edge before he fell to his death, and pulled his body up on the cracked surface of the stone floor of the tower. He rolled onto his back, panting for air as he let his gaze wander aimlessly across the ceiling.

"Why?" he managed to wheeze out after a few greedy breaths.

_~I'm not sure…~_

The newborn, once again, waited for Talana to continue, but she remained silent.

"That's it?' You're not sure'?"

_~What do you want me to say? "It's because you're _so_ special"?~ _Talana said as if she was speaking to small child.

"I would be momentarily content with a theory, or a wild guess, or even a poem!" the newborn replied dryly. "Anything is better than 'I'm not sure'!"

The newborn could have sworn that he heard the former Dragon Knight residing in his mind rolling her eyes at him in annoyance.

_~It doesn't really matter why, does it? It just means that you need to keep yourself in check and maybe hurry it up a little so you can get your wings sooner, rather than later. Do you want me to say that in the form of a poem, or are you "content"?~_

The newborn just grumbled and threw a fireball at an unsuspecting skeleton.

* * *

After what felt like several hours of climbing and a small army of skeletons incinerated, he had finally found an entrance into the tower. The heavy door opened with a muffled screech and the newborn entered. The first thing that drew his attention was the eerie green light floating in the middle of the room, illuminating it. It was obviously magical, but not any kind of magic he'd ever seen. Most magical lights died out after a while if their energy wasn't recharged. _No one has been here in several years…_

The room was round and looked as though it had once been quite decadent, though it must have a very long time ago. The middle of the room was surrounded by broken dragon statues, giving off a feeling of fallen glory, much befitting of Lord Lovis. The roof was partly collapsed and the rubble took up most of the room. Dust flew up in the air with every step the newborn took, and the smell of mold filled his nose.

_~Well done. We are here. Lord Lovis is close by.~_

The newborn just grunted and started walking around the rubble. Underneath the floating light there was a steel grate. Looking down, he could see the floor below. There were several sources of light down there, but their origins remained unknown for the time being. He could however see what looked like even more statues, and a few toppled chairs. Giving the room he was currently in a quick once-over, the newborn failed to see anything relevant in his surroundings. _If not here, then maybe down there. Just need to find a way down._ He began searching the mostly destroyed room, hoping to find some way to gain access to the floor below.

He soon came across the decomposed corpse of a man, half-covered by stones from the fallen roof. _He must have been exploring and accidentally shifted the rubble so that it fell on him… trapping him in this room._ The newborn bent down, breathing through his mouth, and searched the body. Except for a few coins, there was nothing of interest on his person. However, the newborn noticed that the deceased man seemed to have been reaching for something in a small pile of dirt, just out of his reach.

The newborn turned his attention to the pile of dust, dirt and rocks. He dug through it and soon found an old and moldy scroll. He unrolled it and read its content.

_What the hell…?_. The newborn reread the scroll, and then furrowed his brow in confusion. The scroll contained a spell that was written with the common alphabet, but it seemed nonsensical. No words were written, just a bunch of letters written in a random fashion. _This makes no sense…!_

_~Try reading it out loud. It's just like Lovis to create a puzzle like this. Or maybe he just finds it amusing that someone will trigger a trap while speaking gibberish…~_

The newborn looked around the room, and once again found that there were no other exits except for the one he came in from. And if Lovis was supposed to be found in the tower, but not inside the room with the only entrance to be found, then – _Hopefully this… spell will open a way for me._

"Guess I don't have much choice…"

The newborn sighed in resignation and reread the incantation before reading it out loud, in muttered voice. He jumped slightly when a lever appeared out of nowhere right in front of him. Looking around once more he realized that he was standing on a platform which had four, thick chains attached to its corners. The chains themselves came out of four holes in the ceiling. _A lift!_ The newborn pulled the lever, and just like he suspected; the platform slowly lowered itself through the floor, down to the level below.

"Who writes something like that spell?" the newborn muttered during the descent.

_~Lazy writers.~_

* * *

The lift brought the newborn down to similar, circular room. But this one had not lost all its former glory. There were two smaller statues of dragons on opposite sides of the room, and each statue held a pair of lit braziers in each of their claws. On the opposite side of the lift was throne. It was made entirely out of stone and seemed to be shaped after a Dragon's head, stone horns sprouting from the back. Above it sat a statue similar to the brazier-holding statues by the walls. The newborn also noticed that there were other dragon statues placed around the room; on pillars in middle of the room and on the floor near the throne, looking a lot like watchdogs guarding their master. He also noticed rusty, metal cages hanging from chains on the ceiling. The shadows cast from these cages by the light from the braziers gave him an ominous feeling.

The newborn let his silver eyes scan the room a few times. There was no sign of the feared Dragon Knight, Lord Lovis, or his ghost. He moved cautiously towards the throne, not wanting to trigger any nefarious traps that Lovis may have placed in order to keep greedy fingers away from his secrets hidden within the throne room; such as the thick, red leather-bound tome on display on the left side of his throne.

After reaching the tome without incidient, the newborn flipped it open. Only to jump back as a loud voice came booming from it.

"You have come here, living flesh, to seek an audience with Lord Lovis?" The voice was clear and commanding. The newborn was unsure if it had actually asked him a question or simply stated the obvious. Before he could open his mouth and say something, the voice continued.

"Then prove that you have the knowledge required to meet him!"

_~Well, this should be interesting…~_ Talana said with a hint of amusement.

"To whom was Lord Lovis born?" the book-voice asked, seeming to demand a quick answer.

"Anastas, Queen of Ancient Ferol." the newborn said immediately, and silently retracted almost all of the curses he had put on the historians at the academy who had mercilessly drilled the knowledge into his memory, using inhumanely long lectures and quizzes. _Almost all of the curses…_

"Correct. Who does Lord Lovis serve?" _No breaks, huh. Fine._

"Ouroboros, God of Dragons."

"Very good. What was Lord Lovis' greatest victory?"

The question gave the newborn pause. The achievements of the Betrayers were not something the historians at the academy taught as strictly as their crimes. Luckily, Talana came to his rescue.

_~The Battle of Ten Thousand.~_

"The Battle of Ten Thousand!" the newborn exclaimed hurriedly.

"Correct. Who was responsible for Lord Lovis' downfall?"

_~Ba'al, the Arch Demon who raided this valley.~_

"Ba'al." the newborn simply responded.

"Very good." the voice said, seeming slightly pleased. "What was Broken Valley called when Lord Lovis still ruled supreme?"

"The Valley of Shrines." the newborn answered with a smile. He had heard about that from one of the patrons at the Black Boar.

"You are correct."

Suddenly, a light flashed from of throne, blinding the newborn. He threw his arms up in front of his face to shield himself. As suddenly as it had appeared, the light faded. The newborn lowered his arms.

In front of the throne stood a man dressed in flashy, metal armor adorned with dark patterns. His hands were covered by gauntlets made in a similar fashion, with what looked like metal claws on the fingertips. The man stood almost as tall as the newborn, but with an almost regal aura about him, making him seem even taller. Almost all of his face, save his mouth and eyes, was covered by a metal mask. His getup combined with his almost ashen skin and red-tinted, yellow-rimmed eyes gave him the appearance that of a demon.

The man turned his fearsome gaze towards the newborn and spoke in a deep, echoing voice.

"What have we here? A mortal wandered into my tower? By accident, I'm sure." the man said, clearly amused.

"Lovis…" the newborn said in a hushed voice, mentally preparing himself for what might come next.


	7. Chapter 7

_**Chapter 7**_

Lord Lovis looked down at the newborn from his throne, his eyes danced with amusement. Like a cat that had trapped a mouse.

"Talana sent me!" the newborn uncharacteristically croaked out. This man, Lovis, was everything he had been taught to hate, fear and ultimately kill since he was twelve years old. Standing there, in Lord Lovis' sanctum, with Lovis himself looking down at him gave him shivers. _And not the good kind._ "She was under the impression that you would be able to help me."

"A fellow Dragon Knight sent a champion? An interesting turn of events, though not unexpected." Lovis said, still amused. "And how, pray tell, is it that I may help you?"

The newborn knew the look in Lovis' eyes all too well; superiority. He hid it well in his body language, but eyes never lie. Lovis had something planned, and he was trying to butter the newborn up for it.

"The Black Ring must be destroyed and I shall do so." the newborn answered with a more steady voice. "Preferably with your help."

"'Necessarily' is the word you were looking for, I think." Lovis responded lightly. "As luck would have it, I know what Talana wants to do. And though I applaud her intent, I am apprehensive of her immediate goal: the Hall of Echoes."

The newborn raised an eyebrow at the statement. The Hall of Echoes was the place where your soul went after death to be cleansed of the memories of your former life, so you could move on without the burdens of your past. _But what does that have to do with Damian?_

"What is in the Hall of Echoes that is so important?" the newborn asked.

"Therein dwells the soul of Damian's one great desire; Ygerna." Lovis said the name with a hint of spite and his eyes became fierce, like those of a Dragon.

"Tell me more about Ygerna," the newborn asked. He had heard the name before, but he was unable to recall from where and in what context. The haughty Dragon Knight straightened his back and squared his shoulders before speaking.

"When Damian grew up under the tutelage of his foster father, the Divine, he was unaware that he was the incarnation of a great evil destroyed by the Divine in the past," Lovis said, sounding much like a teacher holding a class. "But the Black Ring knew and sent in a young witch to awaken his dormant powers. This she did – they even fell in love. The witch's name was Ygerna."

"But she was later found out and beheaded by the Divine," the newborn threw in, finally remembering where he had heard the name before.

"Yes. Yes, she was," Lovis continued solemnly. "But Damian had, in the meantime, in the strictest secrecy, become a great wizard and Soul Forged himself with his beloved as she felt the blade." Lovis grew quiet for a moment.

"And after that, the first Demon War was waged," he soon continued. "It was finally won by the Divine and his army of paladins. The second Damian scourge, the Great War, did not end as advantageously. It ended in nothing more than bitter stalemate, with a winner yet to be decided."

Lovis sounded bitter and sad towards the end of the tale, but the newborn was not sure if he was being sincere or not. There was still a slight glimmer in the fallen Dragon Knights eyes, one that made the newborn suspicious.

"Could you explain something for me?" the newborn asked. When he got a nod, he continued. "Why all the animosity towards Damian; didn't the Dragon Knights and Damian work together to assassinate the Divine?"

"No!" roared Lovis, surprising the newborn with his genuine anger. His eyes were blazing ferocity and anger. "You call us Betrayers, but it was _we_ who were betrayed!"

Lovis began pacing back and forth, growling through his teeth.

"Damian corrupted a fellow Dragon Knight and made him stab your godlike champion in the back!" he continued, his angry growling making it difficult to understand what he was saying. "And his plan worked perfectly! He may have lost many in the war, but he made sure that mankind would have another enemy to focus on while he rebuilt his army. Away from prying eyes!" Lovis stopped pacing and took a deep, calming breath.

"So…" the newborn began cautiously, not sure if the fallen Knight had managed to calm down. "How do I defeat Damian?"

Lord Lovis let his gaze rest on the newborn for a moment before answering in the same calm voice he had used before.

"Because of the timing of Damian's spell; Ygerna – his greatest ally – has become the key to his defeat," said Lovis with a small smirk on his lips. "Normally, when two people become Soul Forged, they become one, and when one dies so does the other. However, because Ygerna was executed mere moments after the spell was cast, the effect was reversed."

Lovis looked at the newborn expectantly, hoping that he would catch on. However, when all the newborn did was raise an eyebrow in confusion, he gave up with an exasperated sigh.

"Which means that if Ygerna were to be brought back to life, Damian would die," Lovis finished with little enthusiasm. "Or at least that's the idea."

The newborn contemplated Lovis' theory for a moment. It did make sense, but he couldn't be sure. Magic had never been his strong suit, at least not anything more complicated than combat-spells.

"If you are correct, then I would need to find a way into the Hall of Echoes and find a way to bring Ygerna back," the newborn said with apparent apprehension. "Where would I even start?"

"If you go to the temple – to the north, not far from here – you may be able to find the research notes of my former master and teacher, Maxos the Dragon Mage," Lord Lovis answered calmly. "He is the only one I know of who has been able to find and enter the Hall of Echoes."

He then reached for something hanging from his neck. It was an old, rusty key dangling from a length of leather tied as a necklace around his neck. Lovis tugged it lose and threw it to the newborn, who caught it with one hand.

"That key will open the doors to the temple, which have been sealed for far longer than I care to remember."

The newborn looked at the key, weighing it in his hand and feeling its scraggly surface through his gloves. He looked up and met Lord Lovis' gaze and held it for a moment, then nodded his head in thanks, said a quick farewell and made his way back towards the lift. The sooner he left the dead Knight and his tower behind him, the better.

However, before he managed to get to the lift, Lovis' voice made him stop.

"While you are at the temple, may ask you to take care of a small matter for me?" He may have phrased it as a question, and even managed to make it sound like a sincere request. But when the newborn turned to face the fallen Dragon Knight, their eyes met and it was made abundantly clear to him that it had been nothing short of a desperate demand; but a demand for what?

"And what would this small matter be?" asked the newborn, feeling slightly intrigued with the desperation he could see in Lovis' eyes.

The fallen Knight looked away from the newborn, and let his gaze fall to his hands. When he spoke, his voice was filled with torment and weariness.

"I was tasked with guarding these lands from demonic incursions. But as time passed and my might grew, vigilance soon traded places with indulgence and duty with sloth." He let out a tired sigh and looked at the newborn before continuing. "When the Demon Lord Ba'al and his armies came, the valley was overrun. My master, Maxos, was furious and ripped my soul from my body and imprisoned it in a Soul Stone, now in the possession of my old rival Amdusias."

"Sounds like Maxos was a harsh teacher," the newborn muttered. While he felt disdain for the inactions of Lovis; Maxos punishment sounded much too severe. _The worst I got was stable duty…_

_~But you never let hundreds of people die either,~_ came the ethereal voice of Talana. _~Don't let this "guilt-ridden" act fool you; Lovis has always been a manipulative bastard.~_

"Ha! You don't know the half of it!" Lovis laughed without humor in response to the newborn's statement, unaware of the conversation going on in said newborn's head. "Amdusias and I were friends once, both disciples of Maxos. But then one day we caused the destruction of a small village while trying out a spell way beyond our novice abilities."

The newborn was taken aback by how easily Lovis spoke of the probable deaths of hundreds of people.

_~Like I said; bastard.~_

"Maxos was in a rage and told us that he would teach us restraint and humility," Lovis continued. "So he told us that only one of us would be allowed to become a Dragon Knight. Amdusias and I became bitter rivals in the race towards dragonhood, a race that I ultimately won. Amdusias remained an acolyte in the temple of Maxos, where he still remains, guarding my Soul Stone with glee."

"And you want me to bring back the Soul Stone to you," concluded the newborn, who was starting to get tired of the endless ranting.

"Yes. For too long have I been rotting without decay, and suffered this mockery of both life and death," Lovis' voice grew as he spoke, until he was almost shouting. "I have sought redemption, but received none. With my soul back, I can finally – after a thousand years of wandering these halls – move on to the Hall of Echoes, and find peace-"

_~Oh, for the love of-! Just agree to it so we can go!~_

Talana's harsh tone and slightly out-of-character outburst made the newborn jump.

"Okay," the newborn croaked out. "I'll get you your soul back."

Lovis' face broke out in a huge smile, showing of his sharp and yellowed teeth.

"Wonderful, my friend!" he exclaimed happily. "I promise you; your reward will be substantial!"

The newborn just nodded his head, turned back towards the lift and left the former Dragon Knight's chamber. When he finally got on the lift, the newborn let out a deep sigh – something he seemed to be doing a lot lately. Not only had the meeting with Lovis been nerve-wracking; it had also been tedious.

_~He's a bit too much in love with the sound of his own voice.~_

The newborn grunted in agreement.

_~At least we have a new goal; the temple of Maxos.~_

"And to bring back the Soul Stone to Lovis," the newborn added as he got off the lift as it came to a halt on the upper floor.

_~Let's hope that these tedious requests on the side don't become a trend.~_

* * *

"Er, Talana? Who was Maxos? " asked the newborn warily as he neared the site of the temple.

_~He was a great wizard whom earned the respect of the Ancient Ones and thus received the ability to bestow the powers of the Dragon unto normal humans, turning them into Dragon Knights. Why do you ask? Interested in the history of your predecessors?~_

"Well, that and because a giant, stone-version of him is staring at me."

As soon as the newborn had walked through the opening in the cliffs surrounding the temple, he was met by the intense stare of a huge statue of who could be Maxos, beard and all. It was carved out of the mountain wall and was nestled atop of the great entrance to the temple, its eyes daring anyone to enter.

The area in front of the entrance was overgrown with vegetation; old towers and the like having surrendered to nature and lay crumbled on the ground, covered in moss. On top of the remaining few standing pillars perched statues of Dragons, much like the ones at Lovis' tower.

The sound of voices made the newborn jump instinctively to cover behind the remainder of a stone wall; he then proceeded to creep along the wall towards its edge and carefully peered out from behind. His eyes widened in surprise at what he saw.

"Blast! I was sure she'd be back to claim us as her prey," spoke Marius, seemingly annoyed which for some reason amused the newborn. "She's vain like that."

"Well, we can't wait here forever - and besides you're right," said Rhode evenly, her hair glowing in the light of the high noon sun. She let her gaze travel around the area, lazily looking for anything suspicious. The newborn's heart skipped a beat when she looked towards his hiding place, but he was sure that she had not detected him, as her gaze did not linger and she soon turned back towards Marius and the other two Slayers; Gene and Gunther. "If she were alive, she'd have been back by now."

"I reckon that stab you treated her to just before she flew away must have finished her off," Marius said with pleased grin. "Another Dragon is dead at the hands of the Commander!" He turned towards his fellow Slayers and pumped his fist in the air, eliciting cheers of victory from the two. Rhode on the other hand seemed to be unconvinced, as she furrowed her brow and raised her right hand to her face so she could bite down on her thumbnail: a habit of hers when she was considering something.

_~You seem to be well aware of the Commander's little quirks…~_ said Talana in an amused voice. _~Does the Dragon Knight have a little crush on the Commander of the Slayers?~_ Her mocking words actually made the newborn blush and grumble at her, which only furthered her amusement.

_~Anyway, enough about your schoolboy crush. You need to get past them somehow; they are standing right in front of the entrance. Ideas?~_

The newborn looked around, and found no possible route to the temple entrance that wouldn't catch the Slayers' attention. _Maybe a diversion… I could draw some goblins over here and let them distract Rhode. Or maybe a-_

He shook his head violently. Even if he could sneak past them, he'd only be delaying the confrontation he was sure to have with Rhode and the others some day. _Might as well get this over with…_ He took a deep breath and let it out – shakily, and then stepped out from behind the wall and walked towards the Slayers, head held high and with steady steps.

_~Are you mad?! They are Slayers! And you're a Dragon Knight!~ _Talana exclaimed fervently. _~They will-~_

"They have known me for years, since I was a child. They'll understand," the newborn said with confidence, though his anxious stomach and restless legs did not share his optimism. In fact, every fiber of his being and every instinct he had practically screamed at him to run. But he kept moving across the temple grounds at a steady pace, his footsteps clattering on the cobblestone, and his eye fixed on Rhode. "_She_ will understand." _Please…_

* * *

_The young boy stared wide-eyed at his surroundings; trying to take it all in at once, however impossible that seemed to be._

_The ceiling of the Great Hall of the Academy was almost as high as the Hall was long. Thick, red-painted rafters held it up and from said rafters hung long tapestries in many different colors and with many different motifs. Along the stone walls there were trophies on display, either hanging from the wall or placed on pedestals, many of which were fangs and horns from unimaginable creatures. There were also four, great fireplaces to keep the Hall warm during winter, and sometimes to practice magic, or so he'd been told. To a child as young as him, the Great Hall seemed like something out of a storybook, where great heroes shared stories and meals. Of course, this was no storybook, but the heroes-part, however…_

"_Right, younglings!" came the roaring voice of Commander Bryce, a burly, older man with graying beard and little hair, and piercing, pale-blue eyes. At the sound of his voice, all of the children – soon-to-be disciples – stood in a long, straight line, awaiting instructions. He walked down the line and eyed each and every one of them. "I am, as you know, Commander Bryce. You will address me as 'Sir' or 'Commander' while you are in-training here. And while you're here, I am in charge of the lot of you!"_

_Commander Bryce kept walking up and down the line, and kept talking about what it meant to be a Dragon Slayer and what to expect while training at the Academy. However, the young boy was no longer listening to the intimidating man, and had instead turned his attention towards the entrance of the Hall, where a young man with wild, red hair and grey eyes, no more than sixteen years of age, came wobbling in with his hands covering his mouth and nose._

_Commander Bryce noticed that he no longer held the attention of the younglings and turned towards the young man and rolled his eyes. "What is it, boy? Can't you see I'm busy?" he said with a shake of his head and a sigh. "All right, what happened? Go on, spit it out!"_

_The young man removed his hands from his face, revealing a crooked nose, a fat lip and a lot of blood. As he spoke, his nose made a whistling noise, much to the children's amusement._

"_She punched me! Again!" he wailed and pointed towards the door from which he had entered. "She's out of control, Commander! She needs to be-" He was cut short by a female voice._

"_I need to be what, Donald? Flogged for giving you more than enough warnings?"_

_Everyone turned their heads to where the voice came from and saw that it belonged to a girl, about same age as the bloodied young man. She strode into the Hall with graceful and confident steps, as her beautiful, golden hair flowed behind her. Her deep blue eyes were fixed on the young man, who was now hiding behind Commander Bryce._

"_What did you do, boy?" asked Commander Bryce with a weary sigh as he looked at the young man, Donald, whom in turn stared in disbelief at the older man._

"_I'm _bleeding_ and you're going to blame me?" he shrieked, making the children cringe. The Commander, however, just snorted dismissively, and then turned to the girl, whom now stood in front of him, looking at him calmly._

"_Well, Rhode?" he said simply, watching as the girl straightened her back and squared her shoulders. She then let her gaze wander over the line of children, all of which were watching the scene with great interest. The young boy's breath caught in his throat as their eyes met; her deep blue and his brown. It was only for a moment, but a strange feeling washed over him, like a warm blanket being placed over one's cold body, as well as a soothing and comfortable feeling that traveled from the tip of his nose, down his spine and settled in his stomach. He could not place it, however, and too soon did it leave him as the girl – Rhode – turned her attention back to the Commander._

"_I do not blame Donald for his poor upbringing; one can only learn so much from trolls," she answered with a straight face, making the Commander chuckle, the children giggle and Donald grumble. "However, invasion of my personal space and unauthorized touching is something I will _not_ tolerate."_

"_So you punch me?!" shouted Donald while gesturing to his bleeding nose. "Ever heard of talking?"_

_Rhode regarded him for a moment and then shook her head, annoyed. "Like I said; I have given you more than enough warnings, and you did not listen. So, you touched me in a way _you_ enjoyed and I disliked – I touched you in a way _I _enjoyed and you disliked; tit for tat, so to speak."_

_Donald started sputtering and tried to come up with a retort, however, the Commander raised his hand and silenced him, then cleared his throat._

"_Donald, go to the infirmary and get fixed up. Then report to the quartermaster for kitchen duty," he told the young man, who started flailing his arms around while loudly protesting. "NOW, Donald!"_

_The Commander's booming voice made Donald's face fall even more, and after giving Rhode a withering glare, he walked out of the Hall with his hands on his face again and with a slightly hunched back._

_When he was gone, the Commander turned to Rhode and let out yet another sigh._

"_Girl, you need to stop taking such matters into your own hands," he reprimanded lightly. "We have enough enemies in Rivellon; we don't need in-fighting as well."_

"_Yes, Commander," said Rhode, looking straight ahead with her hands behind her back and her head held high. "I just felt that immediate retribution was called for. It won't happen again."_

_Commander Bryce snorted, unconvinced, and let show a small grin through his beard. He waved his hand, dismissing her, but before she left she let her eyes wander along the line of children once more, until they came to a brief halt at the young boy with the brown eyes._

_The boy was once again filled with the same feeling from before, but this time it didn't dissipate when Rhode looked away._

"_Welcome to the Academy!" she said loudly with a smile, and then waved goodbye and left the Hall. It was then that the boy realized what he was feeling; accepted. And as he looked at the Commander, who had resumed his speech about Slayers, and the other children, who were listening intently, he thought that maybe, just maybe he'd fit in there and get others to accept him as well. He turned towards the doors that Rhode had left through and thought: _Huh. I guess that's one down.

* * *

The slayers had spotted the newborn approaching them, and pointed at him, making Rhode turn and face him. As he neared the group, anxiety filled him and made him question every step he took, but he still refused to run away and kept his eyes locked with Rhode's. Silver met silver, and the newborn swallowed a nervous lump in his throat. _Please…_


End file.
